Tears of a Ranger (Sequel to Untold But Unforgotten
by TheHomemadeDarkmark
Summary: In this sequel to Untold But Unforgotten, Taz and Up venture down to the unknown alien planet, on a rescue mission to save February, Taz's ditzy old roommate. But, of course, not everything works out. Up is having breakdowns, and Taz doesn't know if she'll be able to put up with this weak, soft side of her old friend. And what is going on with Junior, and the rest of the GLEE?
1. Chapter 1

The ride down to the planet was not fun.

They were dodging cliffs and avoiding trees the entire ride, and it didn't help that Megagirl kept a running stream of insults against humans. "You know what is funny?" she said as they passed over one of the many forests. "You humans tear down the trees to show that you can, but really, you are so weak you must depend on an inanimate object to survive, so that you can get you pathetic, chemical-filled, poisoned oxygen." Seriously, how was that even funny?

Up winced slightly every time the robot spoke. Taz didn't like the fact that anything could make him wince, but it was understandable, given the circumstances.

Apparently, when killer robots cut you in half, you tend to aquire a slight fear of them. Who knew?

Taz sighed and looked up at Megagirl. "If jou don't shut up then I am going to throw jou out of this window, and into a mudpit, where jou can rot with the rest of the animal de mierda," she said irritably, her thick Spanish accent smooth, not showing even the slightest bit of the anger bubbling in her stomach.

Megagirl just smiled and turned away, but a minute later started up again. Taz wanted to scream, but refused to give the idiota robota the satisfaction.

"Can't you just leave poor Megagirl alone?" Tootsie complained. "She's only just teasing!"

Taz rolled her eyes and ignored him. Krayonder yawned and rolled over, fast asleep. She considered stabbing him with her knife again, but thought of something better.

"Hey, look!" she said, happy she had a window seat. "I found February! She looks fine, but something tore off almost her entire uniform. Someone should go get her before she hurts herself."

"I'll do it!" said Krayonder, sitting up so fast he knocked his head on a low hanging bar. Up and Specs laughed.

"Estupido," Taz muttered, smiling smugly. Even the lamest, most poorly thought out story would fool him.

Krayonder had a sour look on his face. "Not cool, man!"

"Lieutenant? Commander? We are really close to the place where the signal came from. We'll be touching down it about a minute," Specs said.

"Thank you, Specs," Up said, nodding to their technology expert.

Taz turned to her Commander and good friend. Her heart still did a small dance every time she looked at him, but she could never say anything to him. He was her one true friend, the only one who she could be one hundred percent open and honest with without worrying about her reputation. "Jou ready to get back out there, Up?"

He smiled. "Absolutely. You?"

She nodded, allowing a small smile to touch her own lips. She hadn't been on a mission in the two years since his injury. She wouldn't go with any other Commander, and refused to be upgraded so that when he returned she'd still be his Lieutenant, and they'd be on every mission together. Today was their reunion after he'd been carted away to the Rehabilitation Center to recover from his injury.

She just had to hope that the rumors weren't true. That Up hadn't gone soft.

"Landing in three... two... one..." called the computerized voice through the pod. There was a slight jolt as they touched down, but nothing horrible. Taz stood right up, ready to get back out there. Up followed her, and they led the crew off of the pod.

"This place is _wierd_, man," Krayonder said, looking around. Taz couldn't help to agree. There were so many strange things about this place, including the feeling she got down her spine.

"What's that?" Tootsie said loudly, pointing behind the rest of them. The looked around to see an enourmous... thing. It resembled a giant rock, covered in spiderwebs, but about twice the size of the Academy. And the Academy wasn't at all small.

Specs stepped forward. "It seems February's signal came from in there. It's my belief that that's where she is."

"Well, then," Taz said. "We'll have to go in. Lead the way, Up." She gestured him forward. She saw the flicker of fear in his eyes, but he cleared his throat and pushed forward. Pride filled Taz's body. _Good job, Up_, she thought.

Inside the giant rock was even wierder than the outside. It was cobwebby and sticky all over, and tunnels wound their way all over. Their only guide was Specs' radar, which led them down several dead ends and through several strange rooms.

They'd been traveling for almost half an hour when Up finally asked, "Specs... What the hell is this place?"

"According to my spectrometer we seem to be inside a series of complex tunnels." No, really? "This entire structure seems to be made out of some sort of secreted essence."

Krayonder began freaking out. "Secreted?! Secreted from what, man?! We shouldn't have come in here!" he yelled. Everyone shushed him.

"Krayonder!" Up snapped. "I know we're all _very_ terrified right now," Taz gave him a wierd look, "but we've gotta be big boys, because this is where February's com signal comes from, so this is where we gotta look."

Megagirl appeared behind them. "Why have we stopped? Do you humans need to rest for eight vulnerable hours?"

Taz was close to cracking. As in, a rock over this robot's head. "The only thing that needs to rest is jour jokes, because they are so tired."

"Woah!"

They all shushed him again. Estupido Krayonder and his big, loud mouth.

"For maximal efficiency just use your thermal vision to scan for signs of life," Megagirl continued. Would she ever shut her metal mouth, that idiota! "Oh, wait. I have mistaken your futility for my utility."

That was it. Taz stomped over to her. "One more comment like that and I will wrap jou up, in a tortilla, and I will eat jou, as a snack! Maybe with some pico de gallo!"

"Ha ha, ha ha, look at me, look at me!" she mimed eating, very horribly. "I am a puny human! I must replenish my energy using inefficient chemical processes!" Finally she mimed swallowing. "Mm, now I am slightly less weak!"

Alright. That was the end of it. No more warnings. "OK," Taz said before yelling, "I'M GOING TO SHOOT THIS METAL BITCH!"

"Woah, woah, woah, calm down there, Taz," Up said, putting a hand on her shoulder. What was he doing? "She's just telling jokes." Those weren't jokes. They were a declaration of war! But Taz allowed herself to be turned away anyway.

Taz pointed to her eye and mouthed, "You better watch out," to which Megagirl made a slicing motion across her throat.

"Let's all split up," Up suggested. "Everybody look for February by themselves. Come on, Taz," he said, trying to pull the her with him. Taz yanked her arm away and went in a different direction, ignoring his sounds of complaint. "Oh, no, no. Oh, good idea."

Taz searched around, ignoring everyone around her till Megagirl spoke again, "Life signs detected!"

"What, where?!"

"Woah, what is it, man?"

"If my readings are correct, this appears to be a mammal encased in massive amounts of mucus, or boogers, if you will," Specs said.

Megagirl began walking away. "If it is not the science officer then it is inconsequential."

"But why would you wanna cover yourself in boogers?" Tootsie asked.

"No, I think something brought it here, man!" Krayonder said. Taz couldn't help but agree, even she didn't say so.

"Poor little guy," Up said. "Looks like he's got a tummyache."

Suddenly, something burst out of the animal's stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

Everyone screamed and yelled, which turned out to be a bad idea. They were suddenly swarmed by a ton of insects.

"Millions of bugs!" Krayonder cried out. They all were squished in a group, surrounded by hundreds of gross, slimy insects, most the size of a full grown man.

"Alright, everybody, just stay calm!" Up shouted. Taz was relieved he was taking charge. "Ain't nothing we've seen telling us that these bugs is here to scrat!"

"But what about the worm that just burst out of that things stomach, man?!" Krayonder yelled.

"Dammit, Krayonder, that could've been a murdering lamb that got everything it had coming to it! Until we know that these bugs mean business, nobody shoot, dammit, nobody shoot!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!" Megagirl shouted, breaking from the group and shooting lasers from her hand. That idiota robot!

The wound up face to face with the remaining bugs after Megagirl had run off after her targets. They screamed again after a few group gasps.

Megagirl returned and the next few minutes were all a blur for Taz, though she could vaguely remember some singing and dancing. Suddenly, Megagirl left the fighting group, Taz close behind.

Taz briefly lost the robot, but soon heard the unmistakable sound of her lazers, and followed that. When she finally arrived she saw Megagirl standing over her unconcious ex-roommate.

"Que pasa, jou piece of shit?!" she shouted, feeling either very protective towards February, or just like she needed to blame Megagirl for everything. Probably the second one."Whadjou do to her?"

Megagirl just stood there. "I have tranquilized our target in order to minimize the chance of failure due to human error."

Taz raised her gun. "The only error we made was bringin jou on this damn mission."

"Negative, you have made countless errors," Megagirl said, bending down and picking February up.

"Give me the girl! That's a command!" Taz ordered, still aiming her gun at the robot.

"You do not have command level clearance. Do not interfere any longer or I will be forced to tranquilize you as well." Was that a threat? That was crossing the line!

Taz stepped forward. "I said give me the girl," she said, grabbing February's arm. "And I said it now!" She gave a sharp pull.

Megagirl pulled back. "Cool it, skank, you do not know me."

Taz pulled again, but when Megagirl yanked back she let go, causing February to fall to the floor as Megagirl lost her footing, yelling, "You skank, you got me this time!" Taz dragged February back to the others.

She pulled her through the retreating swarm of bugs and held up a hand to make the others cease fire.

"Stop! Stop! Stop shooting, I got her! Jeez!" She handed February over to Krayonder, who carried her aboard. "Alright, Rangers, let's get out of here! Come on!"

"Come on!" Up said, following Krayonder up the ramp.

Tootsie lingered, of course. "Where's Megagirl?" he shouted.

As if in answer the estupido robot walked in surrounded by creepy crawlies, seeming defenseless.

"Megagirl!" Tootsie yelled.

"Come on!" Taz said, willing Up to just come with her and leave the evil hunk of metal behind.

"We gotta go save her!" Tootsie pleaded, a puppy dog look plastered on his face.

Up looked between the two of them, obviously conflicted.

Taz kept up her side of the battle, "No, Up, she's a stupid robot, let's go!"

"I... uh... Oh, Taz, I can't leave her behind! The look on Tootsie's face would make me cry like a baby for weeks!" That look morphed into a stupid smile. Up looked at Taz then back into the fray. "Wait for me. I'll be right back."

Up ran in and hesitantly punched one, then another.

"Dammit," Taz said, then shouted over her shoulder, "Cover him!" before running in herself.

They began shooting the bugs, releasing Megagirl, who... just walked away.

"Woah, Megagirl," Up yelled after her. "Come back! Lend us a helping hand!"

Megagirl, who was now standing calmly at the bottom of the ramp, just smiled and said, "Unnecissary. My mission is complete. You humans have destroyed your planet and now you will reap while do so." She then let out a stiff laugh and walked into the drop pod, throwing Specs out.

"Wait, where's she going, man!" Krayonder cried as the door closed and the bugs retreated.

"Wait, Megagirl, come back!" Up called. As the drop pod took off he fell to his knees. "Megagirl!"

Specs spoke up. "According to my spectrometer the bugs appear to be right behind us!" They all spun around and saw a tall blue bug with a red head. They screamed again.

"Rangers!" Up shouted. They all looked at him. "Run!" And so, with Krayonder still shouting and crying, they ran off.


	3. Chapter 3

They ran several miles. They came into a small clearing and stopped to catch their breath. Krayonder, sadly, was not done freaking out.

He collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. He stood up and began talking, which was how everyone knew he was OK. "Oh, Jesus, Lord! This can't be happening, man! What are we supposed to do now, man?" At this point he was shaking Specs's shoulders. "This is like, game over, man, game over! I'm talking, good-bye, buddy. Hasta luego, dude! Konichiwa, Daniel San! We're finished, it's over!" He finally collapsed on his knees, sobbing.

"Goddammit, Krayonder, shut the hell up!" Specs yelled.

Taz stepped up. "Seriously! Shut up! You're screaming will wake up the bugs!" Estupido idiota.

"Just kill him!" Tootsie said, aiming his gun backwards. As stupid as he was, it was the best idea he'd had all day. Taz and Specs followed his example.

"Woah, woah, woah! Everybody just calm down!" Up said, holding his hands up. They all dropped their zappers to their sides. "I can tell we're all a little bit tightly wound. But if we express ourselves, through 'I feel' statements-" It was too much.

Taz cried out. "Aww, oh! Jou want to know how I feel?"

He smiled. "Well of course I do, Taz."

"I feel like cutting open jour belly, and filling it, with jelly!" she shouted. Specs, Krayonder, and Tootsie gasped.

Up put an arm around her shoulder. "Taz, is something bothering you?"

She shrugged, as if it was nothing. Then turned around and punched him in his estupido face.

"Oh!" Up cried. "Ow! My mug! That hurt!" he said, giving her a pitiful look.

She felt like crying, which she hadn't felt like doing in two years, and the last time before that had been three years ago, the day after her family was killed. Both had happened on the anniversary of her quinceniera, her birthday. Her eighteenth was actually in two weeks. Apparently, this one was early.

"I know it hurt!" she cried out, not caring that the others were watching. "It hurt because jou are soft now! Jou are so soft, you couldn't even handle leaving a _robot_ behind. And now _we_," she gestured to the rest of the group, "are all dead!" She gave him a mock salute.

He looked close to tears. It broke her heart, but she didn't show it. "Taz, please, stop," he begged. "Now my feelings are hurt, too."

She stepped towards him. "Jou want me to stop?" she asked. He nodded. She motioned towards her face. "Hit me back." He started to shake his head, so she punched him again, then held her hands to her face and yelled, "Hit me back!" He looked up at her from his spot on the ground.

"Jou," she said, pointing to him. "Jou, are a sad, spade little puppy." She followed with some puppy noises. "And the old Up, the Up that made me, what I AM! He would have never let this happen. And now I see, I see that Up, he did die in that Robot War." She leaned over him and touched his face. "And I will never get him back." In one swift move she ripped the mustache straight from his face.

Everyone gasped again. "My moustache!" Up said. "You ripped it off! You ripped off my moustache!"

"Si," Taz said, setting the moustache on her lip, then pointing to herself. "I am in charge of this mission now! So anybody who wants to live, jou come with me." Without a backwards glance at Up, she began to walk away, and heard the sounds of the other three follow her.

They hadn't gotten twenty feet when she heard him following. "Everybody, wait up!" he cried. "Everybody, wait! We gotta stick together!"

Up ran straight into thier group and suddenly they found themselves tangled in a big mass of... stuff. "What the-" Taz said, trailing off and looking around.

"It's a web, man!" Krayonder called out. In any other circumstance, Taz would be impressed that Krayonder notice this before her, but the situation was a bit too serious.

"We appear to be stuck!" Specs said. They all tried to pull away, then after a few seconds gave up.

"Well," Up said. "At least we stuck together."

Everybody groaned and sighed. Suddenly they heard a noise. They all turned towards it. It was a giant araña. One of the few things Taz was truly afraid of. Yes, she knew it was stupid. Nearly eighteen, the youngest and only female to ever train in the combat league at the Academy, yet here she was, scared of spiders. But it was an impossible fear to shake, seeing as she'd had it since age three. And it was no better when the spider was the size of a hippopotamus and about to eat you.

"Feliz Navidad!" she cried out. It was something her father had done before he died, when he wanted to swear but was trying to set a good example for her and Tacito. She found herself doing it every once in a while.

"It's a spider!" Krayonder yelled. "It's really over, man!"

"God, if you can find it in your zombie heart to let us live, I'd give you my brains to eat!" Tootsie yelled. Well, that wouldn't be giving much, now would it?

They heard a second noise join the first. Another spider, come to join in a tasty meal? Taz prepared to feel pincers digging into her flesh at any second, but it never came. Suddenly she felt the web falling away as the spider chewed it off. She stepped away with a shudder.

"It didn't eat us!" Up said. "It let us go!"

"We're saved!" Krayonder yelled. "Thank dead God man! I thought I was gonna die a virgin!"

Specs nodded and pushed her glasses up her nose. "Me, too."

"Me, too!" Tootsie yelled, sounding much too happy.

"Me, too," Taz said.

"Yeah, me, too," Up said, dejectedly.

"But, wait! Who saved us?" Krayonder asked.

"It was me!"


	4. Chapter 4

Two large boulders were pushed aside, revealing a good-looking guy, early twenties, with dark hair and a crooked jaw. "A Starship Ranger!"

"Hey!" Taz said pointing at him. "Who- who is that? There's not supposed to be any other personas down here!"

Up took a step towards the guy. "We'll worry about that later," he said. Taz noticed that, somehow, his moustache had returned, though the other remained on her face. "Right now, I just wanna shake this boys hand." But when the boy extended his arm with a smile, Up threw his arms around him and sobbed. "Oh, God! Thank you for saving us! Wow!" he said, holding him at arms length. "You look like the kinda guy who knows how to deal with these damn bugs! What's your name, Private?"

"Bug, sir!" the guy said. Taz nodded. Ironic, considering.

"Bug..." Up said, thinking about it. "Well that's a fine name! Tell me Bug, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get the job done," Bug said.

Up looked overjoyed. "Well, so am I! Jeez, Bug, you just stared down a gigantic spider, and in my book that makes you a tough son of a bitch."

"Thank you sir, I am a tough bitch!" Bug said with a salute. Taz shook her head. This guy must have been here a while if he didn't know how to watch his words enough. But it didn't matter right now.

"You sure are, Bug!" Up said, clearly not noticing the mistake. "Say, Bug, where'd you even come from, boy?"

"Fascinating!" Specs said, stepping up to examine the newcomer. "Bug, did you realize that your uniform is a different make and model than the uniforms currently in curculation? Why, in fact, judging by the chest-plating right there, the stitching on the microfibers, this uniform would've been in circulation approximately eighteen years ago."

"Specs," Up said. "Are you suggesting that Bug could be a survivor from a Starship that crashed here on this planet eighteen years ago?!"

"Why, yes, in fact, I-" she began, but was cut off by Krayonder.

"And Bug is the only survivor!"

"And he grew up on this planet all alone?!" Tootsie threw in.

"Killing bugs to survive?" Taz asked.

"Living each hellous day, one at a time?" Up asked. "Is that what you're suggesting, Specs?"

"Yes!" she said. "That is precisely what I am suggesting!"

"Woah!" everyone said.

"Bug!" Taz shouted. "Jou hard, ese. Jou flame."

"Yes," Bug said. "Yes, good, cool. Um, well, now that we're all friends, I have to take you guys someplace. To meet somebody. He lives in a hole not very far from here. It's just past one of those flying machines you guys use. You know, the one that February came down in."

"Bug," Up said. "What the hell did you just say?"

"Oh," Taz said, mentally slapping herself. "No duh! That stupid-assed scientist! She came down in a drop pod, like us!"

Specs caught on. "We could use the pod to return to the Starship!" Taz nodded.

"And then we're home free, man!" Krayonder shouted.

"Come on, everybody, let's go!" Up said. They began walking, then turned when Bug didn't follow. "Well come on, Bug," Up said. "You're coming with us. Are you ready to find out what it truly means to be wearing this here uniform?"

Bug looked up at him. "Yes I am."

"Good," Up said. "Because it's time to go back. Back to our Starship. Up there. In space!" They began walking towards the drop pod. This time Bug followed, but they let him fall behind. He was clearly dazed, trying to revel in the moment.

Once they were in the pod, Taz fell back into the reality of her situation with Up. She promptly ignored any casualty with him, being completely formal and treating him as nothing but her Commander. Not her best friend. Not the guy she possibly... well, whatever he had been before, it was over now. And it broke her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

The drop pod docked onto the Starship and Taz had never been more relieved to get off. The whole ride had been so awkward, what with Tootsie, Krayonder, and Specs pestering Bug with all sorts of questions and her being cooly polite to Up. She got off and immediately grabbed her zapper. Megagirl could be anywhere.

They ran into the command center where they had heard a small outcry. She stopped when the entered and looked around saying, "Donde esta el robota?"

"Wow," Bug said. "Look at this place!"

Up gasped and fell to a spot on the floor. "Junior!" Taz looked over to see their ambassador lying on the ground clutching his head. "What the heck happened to you, boy?"

Junior looked like he was crying. Wimp. "It was Megagirl, she snuck up on me! I was just crying because she told me all you guys were dead! But, I guess my tears must've made her mad cause she punched me!"

"Punched you?!" Up said, sounding like a worried mother. Taz wanted to scream and strangle him. "Aw, let me see the booboo."

"But, am I- Commander Up, am I gonna be the same after this?" Junior asked, still crying.

Up smiled and began to help Junior up. "Aw, I think you're gonna be just fine, my boy. Ain't nobody ever gonna hurt you again."

"Phew," Junior said, sounding a bit less enthusiastic. Of course, Taz wouldn't feel super charged either if her only protection was Up at the moment.

"Well, look what the garbage truck dragged in," came a voice from the doorway.

They all looked over to see Megagirl standing there. Up freaked out and shoved Junior towards her, who then backed away, arms held up in defense.

"Thank dead God you're alive!" Tootsie shouted enthusiastically. He was just looking for a punch in the face, wasn't he?

Taz stepped forward, pointing her Zapper at Megagirl's stupid robot head. "Jou give me one good reason why I shouldn't blast your face plate all over the walls right now!"

"Because it won't do you any good, Taz. The only way to decommision a Megagirl unit is to slowly lower her into lava. Everybody knows that," Up said from behind her. That didn't help her anger, as she was pretty cabreado at him right now. Also, as he said that, Megagirl decided to annoyingly wag her finger at her, like she was a small child. "Just save your energy. We're all gonna need it... for our nice relaxing trip back to Earth. Krayonder, restrain Megagirl for me." Taz lowered her gun and walked back to the others. "We'll deal with her back on home planet. Ain't no way that we can colonize this here rock with that many creepy-crawlers down there."

"No, NO!" Junior yelled, startling them all. "We can't leave yet!"

They all shrank back a bit surprised. "Okay..." Taz said, drawing out the word a bit.

Junior seemed to realize he had shouted. "Uh, I-I-I mean, while you guys were gone, I-I realized something. The-the-the ships, uh, warp crystals! The warp crystals are missing! Yeah, I'm sorry, guys. We're stuck here."

Taz groaned a bit. Stuck here? She had been hoping to get home so she could relax and think of a way to get Up back.

"Well," Up said. "I guess this just means that we're all gonna have to keep our chins up, and a song in our hearts." He pushed up Junior's chin as he spoke. "Ranger, I want each of you to go back to your dormitories right now, and take a bubble bath! We deserve bubbles on our skin. Oh! Junior, I almost forgot! I want you to meet somebody. This beautiful young boy right here," he said, pulling Bug forward. "Why, without him, ain't none of us would be alive right now to tell the tall tale."

"Bug here saved my life!" Toosie remarked loudly.

Krayonder nodded. "Yeah, mine too, man."

"And, unquestionably, mine," Specs piped up.

Taz had to agree. "Yeah, he's one tough son of a bitch."

"Saved my skin too, Bug," Up commented.

"And mine!"

February seemed to pop up out of no where. She ran right up to Bug and grabbed his arm. "Oh, Buggy! I was so worried about you! I thought I'd never see you again, and that would really suck, 'cause I never saw you the first time."

Bug laughed. "I was worried, too, but now we get to spend all the time in the world together."

It made Taz sick, seeing this happiness between two people who had just met, while she couldn't even manage a stable friendship with the man she had known for three years.

February turned to everyone else. "You guys, Bug saved me from those alien creepy-crawlers! They were gonna plant an egg inside my chest, or something, but Bug made sure we got out of there and found the other Rangers!"

Junior let out a small laugh. "Haha. Well thank the long dead God you made it, Bug! I could only imagine where I'd be if it weren't for you. Put her there, pal," he said, extending he hand. Bug took it, and suddenly Junior released a small, pained noise and fell to his knees.

"That's the ticket!" Up said. "I want all y'all to take a page outta Junior's book and lie down for a nice nap. Tootsie, escort Megagirl down to the brigg for me?"

"Aye, no," Taz said, standing and pointing her Zapper at Megagirl. "Maybe I should take her. Make sure she don't try no funny business."

Up grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. "No, no, no, no, no, I think that Tootsie can handle it." He pulled her to the side. "Actually, Taz, I was sorta wondering if maybe, uh, well, I don't know, maybe you and me could, uh, oh, I don't know, go see a movie or something!" Taz looked at him like he was nuts. Did he really expect her to just want to hang out again like nothing was wrong? But he wasn't finished. "You know, like old times? Put on one of our favorites, like, oh! _The Karate Kid_! You know, the good one! The Jackie Chan one!"

She shook her head. "No. No! I'm going to go work out. Jou know, in case any other killer robots try to kill us, and I'm the only one who can kill them."

With that she walked out. She kept herself calm, didn't do anything rash, but the second she turned a corner, she took off running. Instead of heading to the gym, like she had told Up, she bolted straight for her room, the entire time begging herself to wait just one more minute before breaking down.

She reached the door that said "Teniente Taz." That hadn't been there earlier. She noticed a card taped to her door. She grabbed it then stepped into her room. She sat on her bed and began to read Up's messy scrawl:

_Ta_z,

_Long time, no see. If I haven't seen you already, then hi. I'm here. After two long years, I'm finally allowed to work once again. _

_I'm not really good with the whole letter thing, so bear with me here. _

_I'm not the same man I was in that war. I lost a few... important things. It's made me go soft. And I have to live with that every day now, along with the fact that I am what I hate. A robot. But, slowly, I'm accepting this. Hopefully, you can, too. _

_Anyway, if you want to talk, or hang out, or whatever, my room is always open. _

_Your Comandante,_

_Up_

__She noticed the small splotches that were suddenly appearing, blurring the ink. She rubbed her eyes, wiping away the traitorous tears that revealed her breaking heart.

She took two deep breaths and stood up. She washed her face in her bathroom and then looked at herself in the mirror. With her puffy red eyes and pitiful expression, she almost looked like the broken, alone child Up had found three years ago being beaten to death by robots.

She sat there for a good hour until the puffiness went down, then stepped out.


	6. Chapter 6

Taz sat in the rec room by a bunch of work out equipment, lifting weights, when Up came in. Great. Taz just continued on like he wasn't there.

"Specs," he said, "any luck finding a replacement for warping crystals?"

"That task has proved problematic, sir," Specs explained. "I seems that various systems on the ship are being overridden."

Taz couldn't take it anymore. "Overridden? Where the hell is Junior? He's supposed to be supervising the ship!"

The doors opened and Bug and February fell through, panting. "Everyone!" Bug said, causing Krayonder, Specs, Taz, and Up to pay attention. "There's something we need to tell you!"

"It's Junior!" February interrupted. "He's a d**k!"

Everyone gasped, "What?"

Bug nodded. "It's true. He's been lying to everyone all along. He knew about my crashed Starship, he knew everything about the Bug World, and he even wanted February to get captured."

Taz couldn't believe this, but kept listening as February continued. "Yeah! The Galactic League of Extra-Terrestrial Exploration wants to capture the bugs, so they can make their own twisted abominations!"

Up stepped forward angrily. "Damn that G.L.E.E! They're always making twisted abominations of everything!" Everyone nodded in agreement.

"And the meanest part about it, is that he hand-picked all of us because he thought we were too stupid to figure it out. Like, he picked you because you're a total pussy," February continued, pointing to Up. She turned to Krayonder. "He picked you because you're completely unstable. And he picked you because you're a four-eyed, poindexter, dweeb-o-rama," she finished her insults with Specs. "And he only wanted me for my body. Not my mind," she said in a pouty voice, pointing to her heart.

"So," she said, "Junior hand-picked us all because he thinks we're handicapped, huh? Well, I think it's about time we showed Junior just how handy we can be!"

Taz was sure this is the smartest thing February had ever said.

A beeping noise came over the intercom. Specs spoke up, saying, "Sir, another pod is docking with the Starship!"

"It's probably that cabrone Junior right now," Taz said.

"Krayonder," Up said, "prepare to take our friend, Junior, into custody."

"Yes, sir!" Krayonder stood by the door, handcuffs ready. "Alright! You're under arrest, man!" The doors opened and he slapped down the cuffs onto... no one. There was no one there. "Huh?" Krayonder said, stepping in front of the open doorway.

Suddenly, a giant pink mosquito flew in and jabbed him right in the stomach. Several people screamed. Taz may have been one of them. Another pink on and a blue one followed the first and buzzed around, making them all back away. They then crowded around Krayonder, but when Bug tried to pull February away, to the other side of the room, she was grabbed by a giant claw. Taz looked up to see a giant scorpion, grotesque and the size of a bus, clutching her old roommate in his grasp.

It began making odd clacking noises, which was to be expected. No, what was really wierd was when Bug began to chatter in the same way.

Up stepped forward. "Bug, Bug, what are all them googly noises coming out of your mouth? You chatting with this thing?"

"What's going on, Bug?" Taz asked, trying to get some intel.

"I'm trying to save February," Bug said, then returned to talking with the scorpion.

"Bug, what's going on!" February asked, clearly scared, which of course made sense, considering her situation.

Bug looked nervous. "Uh, uh, don't worry, February, we're just... we're negotiating his surrender."

Everyone relaxed visibly at this, but panicked once again when the scorpion roared and made noises even louder and more fearsome than before. After a second of it talking, Bug's shoulders dropped, and he seemed like his world had just ended.

"Everybody, February," he began, "I'm not who I say I am. Pincer, here, he, uh, he helped me switch bodies, so that I could get to know all of you."

"What?" February asked, clearly confused. Taz was trying to figure out what he was saying.

Bug and February locked eyes, and Taz saw the sadness in his meet the confusion in hers. "February, I'm not a Starship Ranger. I'm not even human. I'm a bug." Taz and Up took a step back. February's mouth dropped and she looked disgusted. "I'm a bug in a human body."

The scorpion, Pincer, started clacking again. Then, out of the blue, the entire ship shook.

Over the intercom, a robotic voice rang out, "Overload. Complete meltdown imminent. Pray to your dead God, puny humans. Your fiery deaths are inevitable."

"It's not over yet, man!" Taz looked over to see Krayonder stand up, Zapper loaded. He began shooting the bugs. "Run!" he yelled. "I've got him pinned down like a piece of Arcturian poontag!"

They ran out the door, the three mosquitoes close behind. Taz didn't look back as she trailed the others, at the back of the group, all darting for a safe place, which they knew they'd never find...


	7. Chapter 7

They ran, panting, into a meeting room. Krayonder's pained yell echoed down into the room, making Taz sick to her stomach. She wasn't usually worried if other people died, but Krayonder had been one of the first people she'd met from the Academy, and she couldn't help but feel guilty at how she always treated him. Now he could be dying, and she was helpless.

"Krayonder!" Up yelled, looking back. "No!"

"No!" Taz yelled, annoyed at him fo stopping. "Let's go! Those cucharachas can't be far behind!"

February stopped and turned to Bug. "So, you thought I was too stupid, huh? Too stupid to figure out you're a bug?" Her voice got small and slightly disgusted at the end. Taz sat there, trying to motion them onwards. If they stuck around too long, they were going to die.

"But you didn't figure it out and I told you twice!" Bug exclaimed. Taz was about ready to leave without the idiotas if they didn't hurry up.

"Don't talk to me, Bug!" February yelled. "I've had enough of your lies!"

She turned away crying, straight into Up's open arms. "Aw, come here. Let it out. Let it out." He turned to Bug and muttered, "Look what you did!"

Bug shook his head frantically. "No, no, Up. I never meant for anyone to get hurt! Up, you've gotta believe me!"

"I-I," Up stammered before turning away. "I don't know what means anything anymore!"

"Vivir de los muertos! He can't be trusted!" Taz shouted, jabbing a thumb at Bug over her shoulder. "And niether can jou." That time she pointed to Up. Ignoring the hurt-looking Commander, she turned away. "Specs, go find Tootsie! Reverse the core overload!"

Specs saluted her and ran off. A loud noise, almost like a cackle filled the air. A very bug-like cackle.

"They're coming!" February yelled. Taz didn't have time for her ex-roommate to be panicking.

"Dammit!" Taz cursed. "Give me this." She yanked Up's Zapper from his hands. "Do jou know how to use one of these?" she asked February, handing it to her.

"Uh, I think so, I've used a blow-dryer before," February informed her.

For a second, Taz was unsure how to respond. "Uh, OK. If something attack jou, jou pretend jou are trying to blow-dry its hair. Now, go lock jourself in jour room!"

"OK, got it!" she replied, running out of the room. Taz was left with Bug and Up. She turned to leave, exiting the way they'd come in.

Up saw the way she was going. "Wait, Taz! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go mislead those damn bugs and buy us some time."

"Taz," he said, "that sounds awfully dangerous."

Taz looked deep into his eyes. "I know, Up. But, an old friend taught me once what it's like to laugh in the face of danger. So, jou two idiotas, stay out of my way!" By the end she was yelling and running out of the room.

She down the hallways they had come through. All the while, she was screaming profanities in English and Spanish, trying to attract the bugs' attentions. She ignored all of the fears that were coursing through her.

"Come and get me jou stupid bugs! Siguame, siguame! Follow the leader!" she shouted. Her screams to follow her were cut off by a sharp, stabbing pain in her lower back. She let out a small cry of pain. "What the-?" Again she was stabbed, and the pain worsened. She fell to the ground, moaning from the pain, but her suffering wasn't yet finished. A third pain stabbed right between her shoulderblades. She could feel the giant mosquitoes quickly draining her blood, depleting her energy.

She fell into blackness, but was startled back awake when the pain receded from her back. She lifted her head groggily, and when her vision cleared, a horrible sight met her eyes. It was Up, all three mosquitoes with their pointy noses jabbed deep into his flesh. "You damn bugs," he muttered before collapsing onto the ground.

"No!" Taz said, holding out a hand, but remaining completely helpless. She was still weak, and she couldn't get all three bugs out before Up was completely drained. "Damn jou!" she shouted at Up's body, which she just couldn't accept as dead. "Damn jou, jou damn fool! Damn jou and jour big, damn heart." She dropped her head into her knees, crying. He couldn't be dead. He just couldn't.

She heard a cough and looked up. "You bugs want blood?" She was amazed to see Up slowly rising off of the floor. "Then take it!" He pulled a bug out and jabbed it right back in. "Take. It. All!" he yelled. He stood up completely. Taz watched in awe as, one by one, the three bugs exploded, splashing some extremely gory inards around the room that she decided not to dwell on.

Taz stood as Up strapped his uniform back together. "Up, how, how did jou-"

"Make them violently explode?" he finished for her. She nodded. "I raised my heartbeat, using my breathing exercises. Their puny bodies must not have been able to handle all of my blood! Bug was right! I just need to learn how to kill with my heart! I killed them all, Taz! I killed them all! I'm still a killer! Oh, I'm still a killer!" He raised his arms up, yelling it to the world.

"That's great!" Taz shouted, jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly. She had thought she'd lost him, yet here he was, her Up, her Comandante.

"Oh, Taz!" he shouted, returning the embrace.

When they finally separated, Taz held his shoulders. "So, Up, I used to think that I was the proof that jou didn't need the balls to be tough," she said. She knew all that he'd lost in his injury, and now knew also that it didn't make a difference. "Now I know, jou! Jou are the proof, that jou don't need a tiny skin cell of the testicle to be one tough son of a bitch!"

"Thanks, Taz! Now come on. Let's go help out the rest of the crew." Taz went to head out, but he interrupted her. "Quick, hop on my back. I can run faster than the two of us combined." Ignoring the contradiction, Taz grabbed his hands and let him toss her onto his back. Screaming, he charged out, Taz piggy-backing along.

They ran along the ship, listening for signs of battle. A couple minutes later, they heard a roar escaping from a room as they passed.

They ran in to see a sad, heroic scene. February stood inside, talking through the glass to Bug, who held the giant scorpion at spearpoint up against the outer airlock doors. As they had entered, Taz had heard him tell her to open the outer airlock doors, which would yank him out into space, where he would die.

"Why did you lie to me, Bug?" February yelled, seeming upset and confused and unsure of herself.

"February," Bug said. "At first I just wanted to help you escape from that hatchery, but I knew I loved you the second I laid eyes on you in that mucus sack. I thought I'd never see you again, so when Pincer here gave me the chance, not just to be with you, but to be one of you? Oh, I took it. But, I didn't think, because, uh, well, being a Starship Ranger has been the only thing I've wanted more than anything my whole life. So, I lied.

"But, I know the truth now about what I am. I'm not a Starship Ranger. I'm a bug. But, we've got a saying on Bug World, huh. The needs of the many bugs outway the needs of the few bugs. Or the one bug. I never really understood that until now."

"Bug," Up interjected. "You may be a damn bug, but you are the finest Starship Ranger that I have ever seen. It's been an honor to be your comander, Bug." He saluted him, Taz following suit.

"Thanks, Up," Bug said, returning the salute. His voice sounded shaky and scared. "It's been a ride. February, I want you to know that even though I lied about being a bug, I meant everything else. You are the most beautiful, the funniest, and the smartest girl I have ever met." The scorpion growled, clearly preparing to attack. "Do it now."

February and Bug stared at each other for a moment. "Good-bye, Bug," she said, pressing the button to open the doors.

For the first time in three years, Taz openly cried. She allowed tears to stream down her face, even though there was someone else in the room other than Up. She went up to February and wrapped her arms around her.

February seemed to distraught to notice Taz's act of kindness. She just leaned down and sobbed into the small girl's shoulder. Taz rubbed her back and locked eyes with Up. She could imagine February's pain. She had felt it herself two years before, when Up had been sliced in half, and again, just before, when the bugs had seemingly taken him down.

Taz knew that pain better than anyone, as she had to live it over and over again. Her father's death. Her mother and brother's deaths. The many times Up had nearly died. Yes. Taz was an expert on the pain of loss.


	8. Chapter 8

Taz, Up, and February stood there for what felt like an eternity. Up stood solemnly while the Taz held her sobbing ex-roommate, tears tracking their way down her own cheeks as well. Finally, Up cleared his throat.

"Um, we have to go out and, um," he began, clearly unsure of how to continue. He looked towards the door Bug had been pulled through. Taz understood. They had to go and find whatever parts of Bug they could, so they could give him a proper burial.

She removed herself from February. "Hey, why don't jou go and find the others? Stay with them for a while." February nodded, walking slowly to the door. Taz turned to Up, wiping the stupid tears from her own face. How could she have been so stupid, crying where anyone could see her? Her entire image could have been destroyed right there.

"It's okay, you know," Up told her. She looked up at him, confused. "Crying. It isn't a bad thing."

She sniffed. "I thought jou were the one who taught me to alway stand up and not show weakness?" she mumbled.

He shook his head. "I was an idiot. I thought that it mattered. It doesn't, though. It's just a stupid idea, the thought that crying makes you weak. It doesn't. It means you're strong, it means you're willing to feel for others and let them be able to hurt you. It's the bravest thing anyone can do."

Taz looked up at him. She couldn't believe this. Three years of building a wall of defiance, and here he was, telling her she should tear it down. She wiped her face once again, turning to head out and load into a ship. They really did need to find as much of Bug as possible before he got too far away.

Later that day, the entire group gathered back on the planet. Tootsie and Specs set down a crate that they had carried out, covered in a Starship Flag. Krayonder's head was bound in a bandage. They fell into a semi-circle around the crate.

"Ten hut!" Up shouted. They all straightened. "We are gathered here today to pay our final respects to our honored dead. Bug, who we lay to rest here, in his native soil. So, Bug, I know that your body exploded in space and that the few remaining bits of it that we managed to salvage are all lying in a pile in a box at my feet."

February made a distressed sobbing noise, her hands moving to cover her mouth. Up seemed not to notice as he continued. "But I like to think that you're still out there, somewhere."

"Would you settle for somewhere right here?" came a voice to their left. They turned to see a giant orange bug peering around a rock.

"It's a damn bug!" Taz shouted as they all backed away. They all started shouting as the bug took a step towards them.

"No, guys, it's me, Bug!" the bug said.

"Bug?!" Up exclaimed.

Bug nodded. "Yeah. I know I look a little different, but you see, when my body died up there, I woke up down here. And I know it's wierd, but I'm still the same Bug. What do you say everybody? February?" He looked straight at the blond.

She stepped forward, her face breaking into a smile. "Oh, Bug." She looked at him closely. "It's really you!"

"I'd understand if you still hate bugs, but-" He trailed off.

"Well," February said, "I thought I hated bugs, but there's one that makes me feel like I'm more than I ever thought I could be!"

"It's that bastard, Pincer, isn't it?!" Bug said, an angry look crossing his features.

Taz rolled her eyes. What an idiota. "No," February said. "It's you, Bug!"

"Oh!" Bug said, laughing.

"Guys I'm stuck!" February called over, pretending to be unable to escape. Taz couldn't help but smile. "He's got me! Not leaving this one!" She turned back to the insect next to her. Taz turned to Up, deciding to give them their moment. She smiled, his blue eyes meeting her brown ones.

"Well, tarnation, ya'll!" Tootsie shouted. "This calls for a celebration of sorts! What do you say we turn this here funeral into a wedding!" He fell to one knee in front of Megagirl, a candy ring in his hands. Gasps rang through the group.

Megagirl took the ring with wide eyes. "Tootsie, my pleasure curcuits are at a maximum capacity."

"Why, we're just getting started, come on, everybody!" Tootsie said, dragging her to the center of the clearing. Taz watched as Up married the couple, ending in a kiss that seemed to radiate love. Watching this gave Taz a longing she hadn't felt in three years- the longing for a happy ending that included someone to hold her, kiss her, and tell her they loved her. It was a longing that she had lost when she dropped Gabriela for Taz, because it hadn't seemed important. Feeling them resurface made her heart hurt, having been left out for so long.

"Oh," Bug said, interrupting her thoughts, "I hope you guys don't mind, but I invited some friends along!"

The group cheered as a swarm of bugs came from behind the rocks. They quickly got along, Bug translating conversations when necessary. Taz turned to Up.

"How?" she asked.

He looked at her, confused. "How what?"

"How is it that, after all of that, everyone gets a happy ending?" He smiled.

"I dunno. What I do know, though, is that we can finally-"

He was cut off by a beeping on Taz's communicator. She held it up to see an image of Marie, her other old roommate. Her blond hair was a mess, her beautiful face scratched and dirty.

"Taz! Thank God! I didn't know what else to do so I called you!"

"Marie?" Taz asked. "What's wrong?"

Marie shook her head. "I don't know! But last night, all of a sudden a huge army of robots came out of nowhere! They stormed the Academy and cut through the front lines in minutes. There are thousands of them, you need to come and help!"

"We'll be there," Taz told her. She ended the call and turned to Up again. "Jou were saying."

He smiled. "Ready for another adventure?" he asked.

"Definitely."

**AN: So, the end of Book 2. The third and (most likely) final installment of this series will be posted some time in the future. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
